Letting Me Down
by Rosie-Jess
Summary: Hermione was 39 years old when her husband first attacked her. How does Hermione react to it? Quite an abusive Ron in here, but not Weasley Bashing. Rating possibly T or M. If carried on, pairings will change. But it will be Romione!


_**This is a bit dark for me. Like incredibly dark. Not sure if it should be a T or an M rating... And it has been an awful long time since I've written any ****Harry Potter FF! I should be putting all my energy into finishing my Primeval fic and my Doctor Who fic, but this distracted me.**_

_**I'm not sure whether this is it or whether I'm going to continue, I've got ideas, but I don't want to continue it if others think it's better as a one shot, so please let me know what you all think.**_

_**No one belongs to me, all JK's stuff!**_

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Hermione Weasley was 39 years old when her husband first attacked her.

Ron Weasley had lost his job just a few weeks ago, after coming in drunk after lunch one Wednesday afternoon. Not even the fact that he was part of the Golden Trio could save him this time. Even Harry Potter, his best friend, had shaken his head in disappointment.

Ron had been drinking more and more ever since their children had started attending Hogwarts. Giving him more time to think. More time to realise how much he hated day to day life.

Three weeks and two days after Ron had been sacked, Hermione found herself sitting in her office in the Ministry, reading over a few papers. It was just after three, and as it was the end of October, it was growing dark outside.

The papers she was holding slipped out of her left hand and all over her desk and floor, as her office door swung open forcefully, jumping up, alarmed, her hand jabbed her wand in the direction of the intruder.

Her wand hand fell, as she noticed her husband standing in the doorway, his hair ruffled, cheeks red, "You've been drinking again?" She sighed, running her free hand through her hair, pushing the strands that had fallen from her bun, out of her eyes.

She jumped slightly as he pushed the door closed, it slammed home loudly, and she watched as he swayed towards her, she stepped back from him, into the bookcase behind her, just enough to knock four books to the ground besides her.

"Ron, what are you doing?" She didn't mean to sound scared, but he was advancing on her quite quickly and it was then that her wand was ripped from her hand, and his hand had smashed into the side of her face.

As she slipped to the ground at his feet, she took a few more beatings.

She couldn't remember how to scream, she failed to conjure up any wandless magic. All she could hear was her mind screaming at her to fight him back, to get out, and to scream for anyone.

But just as she remembered how to, he was gone.

She spent the last two hours of her day, sat at her desk, in tears.

What could she do? Did she go home? Go home, back to the man who had abused her? Did she get Ginny or Harry? No, his sister and his best friend, that would surely make everything worse?

She had found her wand, lying underneath her desk. The first thing she had done was heal the bruises on her face, the others she could hide.

Standing up, she tidied everything away, grabbed her belongings and apparated away, still wiping away the tears. After double checking, she was sure that Ron wasn't in their home.

Home, how could she call this their home after everything he had done?

**HP**

The second time Ron attacked Hermione was only a week later. He had come back two days after the first attack, holding her favourite flowers and a box of chocolates, tears falling from his eyes, begging for her forgiveness. And how could she say no to the man she'd known since she was 11 years old?

Four days later, he came staggering into their home, clearly wasted, she was sitting on the couch, watching a repeat of an old TV program. She glanced up at him, smiling, fully expecting him to come over and kiss her softly, like he had done for the past few days.

That evening was different though, before she could even think, his face transformed into an angry glare and he launched forward, pushing his hand to her throat, pinning her to the back on the sofa using his body.

Hermione's eyes widened, as she tried to breathe, struggling as his fingers squeezed, she pushed him back with all the strength she could muster. He fell back onto the carpeted floor, laughing as he jumped forwards again, grabbing at her ankles as she ran across to the door.

He twisted his arm around her right leg, and she collapsed forwards, smashing her face into the ground. She could feel the blood pouring from her nose, she knew it was broken. But she needed to fight. She thought the worst was over with the war, now she was fighting her own husband. Her best friend.

She turned herself over and using her left leg, kicked him where she knew it would hurt him most. He instantly coiled back and she jumped up, grabbed her wand and apparated to St. Mungo's.

After convincing one of the healers that she had merely tripped on her telephone wires after her scarf had got caught, she was healed. Her nose back to normal and the bruises around her neck completely gone.

She stood in the back garden of her home, checking for any signs on Ron inside, and after making sure it was clear, she locked herself inside and cried herself to sleep.

How could she go through with getting Ron, the man she'd known so long, father to her children, thrown in jail. She couldn't. She just had to hope he would stop drinking. Stop hitting her. Eventually he would stop.

**HP**

The third time was two days later, she hadn't heard from him, or seen him the entire time, she was back in her office when he stormed in, before she'd even managed to look up at him, her desk had flown away from her, causing it to crash into the bookshelf, which then toppled over, leaving books to scatter across the wooden flooring.

Hermione went to grab her wand, to find it gone, he laughed and waved it at her, "Too late."

He threw her wand on the ground and slammed his foot into it until it had snapped and splintered. Hermione's tears were already flowing, she could do nothing but hope that someone had heard the commotion.

He walked towards her, completely steady this time, grabbed her hair and pulled her towards him.

"Ron, please, why are you doing this?" She pleaded with him as he threw her at the nearest wall, smashing her head against it. She grabbed at her hair, trying to pull it away from his hands, but it only caused him to tug on her hair more, she sank against him, having nowhere else left to go.

He tugged once more, before throwing her against the wall, letting her slide down it in a heap. He spat at her, before picking up the books that lay scattered and tossing them at her head. She pulled her head down and hid underneath her arms.

When they suddenly stopped, she sneaked a peak through them, only to find Harry, Kingsley and Luna stood in the room.

Kingsley was holding his wand in the direction on the man lying amongst the books, he had clearly sent a stunning charm his way, even though the look in his eyes said he'd prefer to do stronger damage.

Harry was walking towards her, slowly so as not to be intimidating, Hermione let out a loud sob, before clinging to her best friend. Harry slowly rubbed small circles on her back, trying to calm her.

"Glad you walked by when you did, Lovegood," Kingsley sent a small smile at her, he sent out his patronus.

"Something told me Hermione needed me." She spoke so softly, for once not knowing what the correct thing to do was. She moved away from the doorway as several people walked through, including Ginny.

Ginny took one look at her brother lying on the ground, and then looked over at Harry, who was holding Hermione, who was covered in small cuts, "I was told a Healer was needed?" She looked over at Kingsley,

"He attacked her, we're not entirely sure on the full extent yet."

Ron started to awaken a bit, his face growing angry, "What have you done, Ron?"

"You're taking her side? She ruined everything!" He shouted at his younger sister, growing red in the face, "She's done nothing but cause trouble!" He struggled against the two Aurors who were holding him back. Ginny shook her head sadly, she didn't know what had happened, but her brother was clearly coping with some stress disorder of some kind.

She let the Aurors stun him again and walked over to Hermione, "I'm so sorry, 'Mione," She knelt down and started attending to Hermione's wounds, "I wish there was a way to stop this from ever happening to you."

"You don't deserve any of this," Harry continued, taking hold of her hand.

Hermione looked down at her hands, and hastily tore the wedding ring off her left hand before throwing them towards where her husband lay. The man who was meant to love her forever. The man who was meant to take care of her, and Rose and Hugo.

She watched as Luna sat on the other side of her, taking her left hand in her right hand, "What if there was another way? To change everything. Would you take it? Would you go back and change everything that happened?"

"Would I prefer to stay here and now, where I wasted my life with a man who might never have actually loved me? Or would I prefer to go back, change my whole life, and never see my kids again? I don't know." She looked thoughtful, "I think it's probably not the best time to answer such a question."

She didn't catch the confused look Ginny was sending towards Luna, who was smiling serenely.

It was almost as if Luna had something planned, with the slight mischievous gleam in her eyes. What would she choose if it was her and Harry? Would she pick this life, with a husband bound to be thrown in jail, but with Lily, James and little Albus? Or would she go back, make sure everything was changed and live a happy life with the man she was supposed to be with? The man who would give her the family and happiness she deserved.

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_**Please let me know what you think and whether this should be a One Shot or a full story - Thanks for reading! :)**_


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